Ankara: Murderous Bomb Attack on Peace March.

Hundreds assembling at Wood Green for solidarity march for victims of bombing in Turkey (Photo. G.H)

Our hearts go out to the families, friends and comrades of our beloved sisters and brothers murdered in this attack.

We Came with our Banners of Peace: They Served to Cover our Dead (Libération.)

Ankara (AFP) – At least 86 people were killed Saturday in the Turkish capital Ankara when twin blasts ripped through groups of leftist and pro-Kurdish activists gathering for an anti-government peace rally, the deadliest attack in the history of modern Turkey.

The attack, near Ankara’s main train station, ratcheted up tensions ahead of Turkey’s November 1 snap elections which were already soaring amid the government’s offensive on Kurdish militants.

Bodies of the slain activists were seen strewn across the ground after the blasts, with the banners they had been holding lying next to them for the “Work, Peace and Democracy” rally.

Sixty-two people died at the scene of the blasts and 24 more then succumbed to their wounds in hospital, Health Minister Mehmet Muezzinoglu told reporters in Ankara. He said another 186 people had been injured in the attack, 28 of them seriously.

ANKARA – Two explosions at a peace march in central Ankara on Saturday have killed at least 86 people with the death toll expected to increase due to the high number of wounded, according to officials.

The blast occurred at 10:05 am local time near a train station in the Turkish capital. TV footage shows scenes of panic and people lying on the ground covered in blood, amid protest banners.

“After the explosions there was a clash between families of the victims and police,” Rudaw reporter Mashalla Dakak reported live from the scene of the blasts.

“No party has claimed responsibility for the attack,” he added, saying at least 100 people were wounded besides those who had been killed.
Turkey’s president condemned the attacks as “terrorist acts”.

Government officials are investigating reports that a suicide bomber was behind at least one of the explosions.

The rally was called by the Confederation of Public Sector Trades’ Unions to demand an end to the fight between the Turkish government and the Kurdistan Worker’s Party, or PKK.
The pro-Kurdish HDP party, which was was among those attending the rally, said in a statement that it believes its members were the main target of the bombings.

Selahattin Demirtas, co-leader of the HDP has blamed the state for the attack, which he called “a huge massacre. The opposition party has called off all its election rallies.

Demirtas said that whenever his HDP party kick offs an election campaigns an attack occurs.

“Unfortunately, another massacre happened and those rallying for peace were brutally wounded and killed. It reminds us of the Suruc explosion,” Demirtas added, referring to a mid-July attack that killed 27 people at a student rally in the southern Turkish town of Suruc.

Turkey’s new polls are scheduled to be held Nov 1.
Turkey is holding a re-run of June’s inconclusive parliamentary elections on 1 November.

Later on Saturday, the PKK called on its fighters to halt its guerrilla activities in Turkey unless attacked first.

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region – Selahattin Demirtas, co-leader of the pro-Kurdish People’s Democratic Paty (HDP), said Turkey’s ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) must take the blame for Saturday’s twin blasts at an Ankara railway station that has left at least 40 people dead and 100 wounded.

“The AKP’s hands are red with blood and they support this terror,” said Demirtas to a crowd of reporters at HDP headquarters in Ankara.

Turkish government officials described the blasts as a “terrorist attack” and said they were investigating claims that a suicide bomber was responsible.

Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu is to reportedly scheduled to hold a meeting with Deputy Prime Minister Yalcin Akdogan, government officials and security chiefs in response to the attack.

Demirtas alleged that the people of Turkey have no right to freedom of expression and are forced to support the government.

“In this country, whoever speaks out against the government will be shot…[I]if you don’t support the government you will be deprived from basic human rights and means of prosperity,” Demirtas told the press.

“If a child throws a stone at the police, they will answer him with a bullet.”

Demirtas said that whenever his HDP party kick offs an election campaigns an attack occurs.

“Unfortunately, another massacre happened and those rallying for peace were brutally wounded and killed. It reminds us of the Suruc explosion,” Demirtas added, referring to a mid-July attack that killed 27 people at a student rally in the southern Turkish town of Suruc.

He continued: “[The government] wants to silence us but we will continue our peaceful struggle until the last drop of our blood. And I told them, ‘If you want to stop us with these cowardly explosions, you cannot.’”

Turkey’s new polls are scheduled to be held Nov 1.

There will be a solidarity march on Sunday 3pm Trafalgar Sq to Downing st.